Family discussions encourage open communication. These conversations help children and teens feel heard and understood, which strengthens trust and emotional security. Family discussions are also a chance to pass on values, address problems early, and guide younger members in making wise decisions.

When you combine family discussions with spiritual devotions it strengthens family bonds. Discussions help families understand one another, while devotions help families grow together in character and values. These practices create a safe space where love, respect, and faith are nurtured, shaping individuals who are emotionally strong, morally grounded, and spiritually aware.

Click here to learn more about Prayer and Fasting

We Are Devoted

5-Day Devotional | October 19–23, 2026

Key Scripture: Acts 2:37–47

Big Idea: A devoted church begins with people who have surrendered their lives to Jesus and are learning to follow Him every day.

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DAY 1 — Surrender Comes Before Devotion

Scripture: Acts 2:37–41

Devotional

When Peter preached to the crowd on the Day of Pentecost, something powerful happened. The people were deeply convicted by what they heard, and they asked a simple question: “What should we do?”

Peter's response was clear. Repent. Turn to God. Be baptized.

Before these people began living as devoted followers of Jesus, they first had to surrender their lives to Him.

Sometimes we get that order backward. We think following Jesus begins with doing more, attending church more often, or trying harder to be a good Christian. But genuine devotion doesn't begin with our effort. It begins with surrender.

And surrender isn't simply a one-time decision. While salvation begins when we place our faith in Jesus, following Him involves a daily willingness to lay down our own desires and trust His leadership.

Every day we face opportunities to choose between doing things our way and following Jesus' way.

The beautiful thing is that Jesus doesn't ask us to earn His love through devotion. Our devotion is a response to the grace we've already received.

Before we can live fully devoted to Jesus, we must first be fully surrendered to Him.

Simple Next Step

Take a few quiet minutes today and ask God to reveal an area of your life you've been trying to control. Surrender that area to Him and choose one practical way to follow His leadership today.

Family Discussion Questions

1. What's the difference between believing in Jesus and surrendering your life to Him?

2. Why do you think it's sometimes difficult to trust Jesus with every area of our lives?

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DAY 2 — Let God's Word Shape Your Life

Scripture: Acts 2:42; James 1:22–25

Devotional

The first thing Acts 2:42 tells us about the early church is that the believers devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching.

These were people who wanted to learn the teachings of Jesus and discover what it meant to follow Him.

But they weren't simply gathering information. They were learning a new way of life.

James compares God's Word to a mirror. A mirror shows us what we look like, but it doesn't do us much good if we walk away and ignore what we've seen.

The same is true with Scripture.

We can read our Bibles every day, memorize verses, and know all the right answers, yet still resist allowing God's Word to change the way we live.

God's Word is meant to shape how we think, how we speak, how we treat our families, how we respond when we're frustrated, and how we make decisions.

That's why spending time in Scripture matters so much.

We're not simply trying to finish a reading plan. We're learning to recognize the voice and ways of Jesus.

And the more we learn His ways, the more opportunities we have to become like Him.

Don't just read God's Word. Allow God's Word to read you.

Simple Next Step

Read James 1:22–25 slowly. As you read, ask the Holy Spirit to show you one area where you need to move from simply knowing God's Word to obeying it.

Go Deeper With Ask Ezra

Open Ask Ezra and read James 1:22–25. Then ask:

1. What does James mean when he compares God's Word to a mirror, and how should that change the way I read Scripture?

2. How can I become someone who doesn't just hear God's Word but consistently puts it into practice?

Family Discussion Questions

1. What's something you've learned from the Bible recently that has challenged the way you live?

2. How can our family make spending time in God's Word a more consistent part of our daily lives?

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DAY 3 — We Weren't Meant to Follow Jesus Alone

Scripture: Acts 2:42–46; Hebrews 10:24–25

Devotional

When we read about the early church, one thing becomes clear: these believers were deeply connected to one another.

They worshiped together, shared meals, met in homes, and cared for people who had needs.

Their faith wasn't something they practiced alone.

And that matters because following Jesus was never intended to be an individual journey.

We need people who will encourage us when we're struggling, challenge us when we're drifting, celebrate with us when God is working, and remind us of what's true when life gets difficult.

But meaningful relationships don't happen automatically.

We can attend the same church as someone for years and never really know them.

Biblical community requires intentionality. It requires making room in our schedules, opening our homes, being honest about our struggles, and sometimes putting the needs of others ahead of our own.

And here's something else worth remembering.

Community isn't simply about finding people who will help us grow. It's also about becoming someone who helps others grow.

Who are you encouraging? Who are you praying for? Who knows you well enough to speak into your life?

We don't just need people to do life with. We need people who will help us follow Jesus.

Simple Next Step

Reach out to someone from church today. Invite them to coffee, share a meal, or simply ask how you can pray for them. Look for an opportunity to move beyond a casual conversation into a meaningful relationship.

Go Deeper With Ask Ezra

Open Ask Ezra and read Hebrews 10:24–25. Then ask:

1. What does it mean to motivate one another toward love and good works, and what might that look like in my relationships?

2. What other passages in the New Testament show us how followers of Jesus are supposed to care for and encourage one another?

Family Discussion Questions

1. Why do you think God designed us to grow spiritually through relationships with other believers?

2. What's one way our family could become more intentional about encouraging or serving someone else?

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DAY 4 — Make Room for God Every Day

Scripture: Acts 2:42; Luke 5:15–16

Devotional

Jesus was constantly surrounded by people who needed something from Him.

People needed healing. People wanted answers. Crowds gathered to hear Him teach.

Yet Luke tells us that Jesus often withdrew to lonely places to pray.

Think about that.

Jesus had more important things to do than any of us could imagine, yet He intentionally made time to be alone with His Father.

If Jesus made prayer a priority, shouldn't we?

One of the greatest challenges to our spiritual growth isn't always that we're doing something wrong. Sometimes it's that we're so busy doing everything else that we leave little room for God.

We fill our schedules with work, school, activities, responsibilities, and entertainment. And somewhere along the way, prayer becomes something we squeeze in when we have time.

But prayer isn't simply another activity on our spiritual checklist.

It's an invitation to know God.

It's where we learn to depend on Him instead of ourselves. It's where we bring our worries, surrender our plans, and learn to trust His wisdom.

And prayer doesn't have to be complicated.

You don't need perfect words or a certain amount of time. You simply need a willing heart.

What might change in your life if prayer became your first response instead of your last resort?

A devoted life isn't built by finding time for God. It's built by making time with God a priority.

Simple Next Step

Set aside 10 minutes today to be alone with God. Put your phone away, find a quiet place, and spend time talking with Him. Don't just bring Him a list of requests. Take time to worship, give thanks, and be still before Him.

Family Discussion Questions

1. What are some things that compete for our time and attention and make it difficult to spend time with God?

2. How could our family become more intentional about praying together throughout the week?

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DAY 5 — What Could God Do Through Us?

Scripture: Acts 2:43–47; John 13:34–35

Devotional

As we finish this week, go back and read the picture of the early church in Acts 2.

There was generosity, joy, worship, genuine relationships, and a deep sense of God's presence.

And every day, people were coming to know Jesus.

It's an incredible picture of what God was doing through ordinary people who had surrendered their lives to Him.

But here's something important.

These believers weren't following a formula to make God do extraordinary things. They were simply learning to live as devoted followers of Jesus.

And as they followed Him, their lives began to reflect Him.

That's still God's desire for His church today.

Imagine what could happen if every person in our church became more intentional about following Jesus.

What if our marriages were being shaped by God's Word?

What if our homes were filled with prayer?

What if we were quicker to forgive, more willing to serve, and more generous toward people in need?

What if every one of us was intentionally helping someone else follow Jesus?

The impact could reach far beyond a Sunday morning gathering.

But here's where it begins.

Not with a new church program.

Not with a busier schedule.

It begins with each of us allowing Jesus to do a deeper work in our own hearts.

Because the church we become tomorrow is being shaped by the disciples we're becoming today.

We devote ourselves to Jesus and His ways, and we trust Him to do what only He can do.

Simple Next Step

Think back over the past five days. Identify one area where God has been challenging you to grow in your devotion to Him. Write down one specific commitment you can make for the next 30 days, and share it with someone who can encourage you.

Go Deeper With Ask Ezra

Open Ask Ezra and read Acts 2:43–47 and John 13:34–35. Then ask:

1. What characteristics of the early church in Acts 2 should still be evident in the lives of Christians today?

2. According to John 13:34–35, how does the way we love one another demonstrate to the world that we are disciples of Jesus?

Family Discussion Questions

1. If someone spent a week with our family, what would they notice about our devotion to Jesus?

2. What's one thing we could begin doing as a family that would help us become more like the believers described in Acts 2?

Our Challenge Moving Forward

This week isn't about adding five more things to your spiritual checklist.

It's about taking steps toward becoming a devoted follower of Jesus.

Be devoted to His Word.

Be devoted to prayer.

Be devoted to one another.

Be devoted to living His ways.

And remember, Jesus isn't inviting us into deeper devotion because He wants to make our lives heavier. He's inviting us closer because He wants us to know Him more fully

We Are Family

5-Day Devotional | October 12–16, 2026

A CHALLENGE FOR THIS WEEK

This week, we want to encourage you to take your family devotional time one step further!

Each day, you’ll find a few Ask Ezra questions. Open Ask Ezra daily, ask those questions, and spend a little extra time discovering what God’s Word teaches us.

If you haven’t downloaded Ask Ezra yet, we encourage you to do so. Once you’re in the app, go to the Sermons tab and select Destiny Church. There you’ll find our sermons, devotional content, and other resources to help you keep growing throughout the week.

Our goal isn’t simply to know more about Jesus. It’s to become more like Him and live out what we’re learning.

Don’t just read this week. Open God’s Word, ask questions, have conversations as a family, and put what you learn into practice.

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Day 1 — You Were Made to Belong

Ephesians 2:19 (NLT)

"So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God's holy people. You are members of God's family."

Everyone wants to belong.

Whether it's at school, work, church, or in our neighborhood, there's something inside us that longs to be accepted, known, and loved.

But sometimes we allow our identity to be shaped by what others think about us.

We wonder if we're good enough. If we fit in. If there's really a place for us.

The beautiful truth of the gospel is that Jesus doesn't invite us into His family because we have everything together. He welcomes us because of His grace.

And when we place our faith in Jesus, we receive a new identity.

We aren't outsiders trying to earn our way in.

We are sons and daughters who have been welcomed home.

And here's something worth remembering:

You don't have to earn a place in a family you've already been welcomed into.

The more secure we become in our identity in Christ, the less we need the approval of everyone 

around us.

Simple Next Step

Take a few minutes today to thank God that you belong to Him. If someone in your family has been struggling with feeling accepted, take time to encourage them.

Family Discussion Questions

1. Why is belonging so important to people?

2. What are some ways we try to gain acceptance from others?

3. How should knowing we belong to God's family change the way we see ourselves?

Ask Ezra Questions

• What does the Bible teach about our identity as children of God?

• How can I become more secure in who I am in Christ?

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Day 2 — Love Goes Beyond Words

1 John 3:18 (NLT)

"Dear children, let's not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions."

It's easy to tell someone we love them.

It's another thing to show them.

Think about the people in your life who have made the greatest impact on you.

Chances are, they didn't just tell you they cared. They demonstrated it.

They showed up when life was difficult.

They listened when you needed someone to talk to.

They encouraged you when you wanted to quit.

They made time for you.

That's what love does.

Jesus didn't simply tell the world that God loved them. He demonstrated that love through His life, His sacrifice, and His resurrection.

And now He calls us to do the same.

Sometimes we make loving people more complicated than it needs to be.

We think we need more money, more time, or more opportunities.

But often the most meaningful expressions of love are found in ordinary moments.

A conversation. A meal. A phone call. A helping hand.

Love becomes powerful when it moves from something we say to something we do.

And what better place to begin than with the people closest to us?

Simple Next Step

Find one practical way to demonstrate love to someone today without being asked. It might be someone in your home, church, school, or neighborhood.

Family Discussion Questions

1. What's the difference between saying we love someone and showing them?

2. Who has demonstrated God's love to you in a meaningful way?

3. How can our family become more intentional about showing love to others?

Ask Ezra Questions

• How did Jesus demonstrate love through His everyday interactions with people?

• What are some practical ways the Bible teaches us to love others?

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Day 3 — Family Isn't Always Easy

Colossians 3:13 (NLT)

"Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others."

Let's face it.

Families can be messy.

We have different personalities, opinions, preferences, and expectations.

Sometimes we misunderstand each other. Sometimes we get frustrated. And sometimes the people we love the most are the ones who hurt us.

The same is true in the church.

It's easy to love people when everyone agrees and everything is going well.

But what happens when someone disappoints us?

What happens when we disagree?

What happens when someone says something that hurts our feelings?

Paul reminds us that following Jesus means learning to make allowances for one another and extending the same forgiveness we've received from Christ.

That doesn't mean pretending hurtful things didn't happen or ignoring healthy boundaries.

It means refusing to let bitterness and offense take control of our hearts.

Healthy families aren't families that never experience conflict.

They're families that learn how to work through conflict with grace, humility, and love.

Spiritual maturity isn't just measured by how much Scripture we know, but by how we treat people when relationships become difficult.

Sometimes the greatest evidence of Jesus working in us is how we respond when someone gets on our nerves.

Simple Next Step

Think about a relationship where you've been carrying frustration or offense. Ask God to help you respond with grace. If appropriate, take a step toward a healthy conversation or reconciliation.

Family Discussion Questions

1. Why is it sometimes harder to show grace to people closest to us?

2. What's the difference between forgiving someone and pretending nothing happened?

3. How can we handle disagreements in ways that honor Jesus?

Ask Ezra Questions

• What does Scripture teach about handling conflict between believers?

• How can we forgive others while still maintaining healthy boundaries?

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Day 4 — We Need Each Other

Galatians 6:2 (NLT)

"Share each other's burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ."

We live in a world that celebrates independence.

We're encouraged to be strong, figure things out, and handle our problems ourselves.

But God never designed us to follow Jesus alone.

Throughout Scripture, we see the importance of relationships and community.

We need people who will encourage us when we're discouraged.

People who will pray with us when we're overwhelmed.

People who will challenge us when we're drifting.

And people who will walk beside us through life's difficult seasons.

But here's something we often overlook.

Being part of a family doesn't just mean having people who will be there for us.

It also means being willing to be there for them.

Sometimes we're so focused on what we need that we miss the needs of people around us.

The early church understood something powerful: following Jesus wasn't simply an individual experience. It was a shared life.

They worshiped together, prayed together, shared meals, and cared for one another.

We weren't created to simply sit beside one another on Sundays. We were created to walk alongside one another through life.

That's what spiritual family looks like.

Simple Next Step

Reach out to someone in your church family today. Ask how they're doing and whether there's anything you can pray about or help them with. Then follow through.

Family Discussion Questions

1. Why do you think God designed us to need other people?

2. What keeps people from asking for help when they're struggling?

3. How can our family become better at noticing and meeting the needs of others?

Ask Ezra Questions

• What can we learn from the early church in Acts 2:42–47 about living in biblical community?

• How does carrying one another's burdens help us become more like Jesus?

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Day 5 — There's Always Room for One More

Luke 14:23 (NLT)

"So his master said, 'Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full.'"

Imagine preparing a big family dinner.

The food is ready. The table is set. Everyone has gathered.

Then there's a knock at the door.

Someone is standing outside who wasn't expecting an invitation.

What would you do?

In Luke 14, Jesus tells a story about a man who prepared a great banquet. When the original guests refused to come, the host sent his servants into the streets to invite others.

People who may have never imagined receiving an invitation suddenly found themselves welcomed to the table.

It's a beautiful picture of God's heart.

He is inviting people into His kingdom.

And He calls us to participate in extending that invitation.

But sometimes our lives become so full of familiar relationships and comfortable routines that we stop noticing people standing on the outside.

The new family at church.

The student sitting alone at lunch.

The neighbor we've never taken time to know.

The coworker who's quietly walking through a difficult season.

Jesus consistently noticed people others overlooked.

And if we're becoming more like Him, we should too.

Hospitality isn't simply opening the door to our homes. It's opening our lives to people who need to know they matter.

A longer table begins with a heart willing to make room.

Simple Next Step

As a family, identify one person or family you can intentionally welcome into your lives this week. Invite them to dinner, include them in an activity, sit with them at church, or simply begin a conversation.

Family Discussion Questions

1. Why do we sometimes overlook people who are new or different from us?

2. What are some simple ways we can help others feel welcomed and included?

3. Who is one person or family God might be asking us to make room for?

Ask Ezra Questions

• What does Jesus teach us about hospitality and welcoming people who are often overlooked?

• How can our family practice biblical hospitality beyond simply inviting people into our home?

We Are United

5-Day Devotional | October 5–9, 2026

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DAY 1 — WE WERE MADE TO BE ONE

Ephesians 4:3–6

“Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.”

There are a lot of things that can divide people.

Different backgrounds. Different personalities. Different preferences. Different opinions. Different generations. Even different ideas about how things should be done.

But Paul reminds the church in Ephesians 4 that there is something much greater than all our differences.

We belong to Jesus.

Paul keeps repeating the word one:

One body.

One Spirit.

One hope.

One Lord.

One faith.

One baptism.

One God and Father.

Unity doesn't mean we become identical. It doesn't mean we agree about everything.

Unity means we decide that what we have in Jesus is greater than what could divide us.

Jesus Himself prayed for this. Before going to the cross, He prayed that His followers would be one.

Why?

Because our unity tells the world something about Him.

When people with different personalities, backgrounds, opinions, and experiences genuinely love one another, the world gets a glimpse of what Jesus can do.

We have more that unites us than separates us.

Simple Next Step

Think about one relationship where disagreement, hurt, or personal preference has created distance.

Pray today:

“Jesus, help me value unity more than being right.”

Ask God to show you one step you can take toward peace.

Family Discussion

• Why do you think unity is so important to Jesus?
• What are some things that can divide people, and how can Jesus help us overcome those differences?

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DAY 2 — START WITH YOU

Ephesians 4:1–3

“Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.”

It's easy to talk about what other people need to do for there to be unity.

They need to change.

They need to apologize.

They need to understand.

They need to stop doing that.

But notice where Paul begins.

He doesn't begin by telling us how to fix everyone else.

He tells us to walk in humility, gentleness, patience, and love.

Unity starts when we stop asking, “How can I get everyone else aligned with me?” and begin asking, “Am I aligned with Jesus?”

That's a much harder question.

Following Jesus sometimes means laying down our preference. Sometimes it means listening instead of defending ourselves. Sometimes it means forgiving. Sometimes it means admitting we were wrong.

Unity requires maturity.

And maturity begins when we allow the Holy Spirit to work on us before we worry about everyone else.

Before asking God to change someone else today, give Him permission to change you.

Go Deeper with Ask Ezra

Open Ask Ezra and read Ephesians 4:1–6.

Then ask:

“What attitudes and behaviors does Paul say protect unity in the church?”

Follow that conversation with:

“Which of these attitudes would be hardest for me to practice when I disagree with someone?”

Take a few minutes to journal what God shows you.

Simple Next Step

Choose one word from Ephesians 4 today:

Humility. Gentleness. Patience. Love. Peace.

Write it somewhere you'll see it and intentionally practice it today.

Family Discussion

• Which quality in Ephesians 4:1–3 do you think is hardest to practice?
• What would change in our relationships if we practiced these qualities more consistently?

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DAY 3 — YOU NEED PEOPLE

Romans 12:5

“So it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.”

Our culture celebrates independence.

Handle it yourself.

Figure it out yourself.

Don't need anyone.

But that's not how God designed His family.

Scripture says something incredibly powerful:

We belong to each other.

There will be seasons when you're strong enough to help carry someone else. There will also be seasons when you're the one who needs carrying.

That's not weakness….That's family.

Galatians 6:2 tells us to “carry each other's burdens.”

Sometimes God answers our prayers through another person.

A phone call.

A conversation.

Someone sitting beside us when life hurts.

Someone praying when we don't know what to pray.

Someone reminding us of truth when our emotions are telling us something different.

Isolation tells us, “I can handle this alone.”

Jesus invites us into something better.

You were never designed to walk through life alone.

Simple Next Step

Answer these three questions honestly:

Who is walking with me?

Who am I helping carry?

Who can I call when life gets difficult?

If you don't have good answers, take one intentional step toward biblical community this week.

Family Discussion

• Why do you think God designed us to need other people?
• Who has God placed in our lives who has helped carry us during a difficult season?

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DAY 4 — LET THEM SEE JESUS

John 13:34–35

“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Jesus said the world would recognize His disciples by something surprisingly simple:

How they love one another.

Not our buildings.

Not our programs.

Not our social media.

Not even simply what we say we believe.

Our love.

People have heard Christians talk about the love of Jesus.

They need to see it.

They see it when we forgive.

They see it when we serve.

They see it when we carry someone's burden.

They see it when we remain gracious during disagreement.

They see it when someone has a need and the church becomes a family.

Acts 4 describes believers who were “one in heart and mind.” Their unity became generosity. Their generosity met needs. Their love became visible.

And the Gospel advanced.

What could happen if our churches became known not simply for what we preached about Jesus, but for how clearly people could see Jesus in the way we treated one another?

The Gospel becomes incredibly powerful when the love we proclaim becomes the love we practice.

Go Deeper with Ask Ezra

Open Ask Ezra and read Acts 4:32–35.

Ask:

“What did unity actually look like in the everyday lives of the early church?”

Then ask:

“How could Christians practice this kind of love and generosity today?”

Ask God to show you one way you can make His love visible this week.

Simple Next Step

Do one intentional act of love today.

Encourage someone.

Serve someone.

Forgive someone.

Meet a need.

Send a text.

Make a phone call.

Don't just tell someone Jesus loves them.

Help them see it.

Family Discussion

• According to Jesus, how should people recognize His disciples?
• What's one practical way our family can show the love of Jesus to someone this week?

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DAY 5 — WE'LL WALK TOGETHER

Psalm 133:1

“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”

None of us knows everything the future holds.

There will be exciting days.

There will be challenging days.

There will be victories and lessons, celebrations and tears.

But we don't have to walk through any of them alone.

That's one of the beautiful things about belonging to the family of God.

We aren't united because we're perfect.

We aren't united because we agree about everything.

We aren't united because we never disappoint one another.

We are united because we belong to Jesus.

So when it's easy, we'll walk together.

When it's difficult, we'll walk together.

When someone celebrates, we'll celebrate with them.

When someone grieves, we'll grieve with them.

When there is work to do, we'll serve together.

When our community needs Jesus, we'll reach people together.

And when God gives the victory, we'll give Him the glory together.

The future isn't about me…It's about us.

And ultimately, it's about Him.

Simple Next Step

Pray this declaration today:

We are one body.

We are one family.

We have one mission.

We serve one Lord.

And His name is Jesus.

Then ask:

“Jesus, what can I do to strengthen the unity of Your family?”

Whatever He brings to mind, act on it.

Family Discussion

• What does it look like for a church or family to “walk together” through both good and difficult seasons?
• What is one commitment we can make as a family to help build unity wherever God has placed us?